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Sunday, November 4, 2012

All About Mangosteen

Origin of Mangosteen

Nobody can say the
location of mangosteen’s origin with certainty. In 1982, Zeven de Wet surmised
that the fruit derived from a species native to Malaysia and India; Richards
writes in the “Botanical Journal of the Linnaean Society” that the probable
location is Peninsular Malaysia. Other contenders include Indonesia, Thailand
or Burma.

According to the book,
“Fruit Crops: Vol. 3,” mangosteen was first domesticated in Thailand and Burma.
The Western world first learned of the fruit in 1631, although it was only when
European explorers brought the seeds in the mid-1800s did they appear
throughout the continent’s greenhouses and royal gardens.

Sri Lanka received
mangosteen seeds circa 1880 from India, and the trees continue to grow in these
countries today. When mangosteen first came to India is unknown, although
records show that the trees were flourishing in Madras throughout the 18th
century.

Today, a number of
tropical areas grow mangosteen, including the Ivory Coast, Madagascar, parts of
the Caribbean, Central America, Brazil, China, and Australia. As per a report by
Dr. Yan Diczbalis published in the “Permanent Agriculture Resources,” 2006
figures reveal Thailand as the world’s top producer, with Malaysia, Vietnam,
and Indonesia as other prominent mangosteen growing countries.

Availability of Mangosteen in India

Mangosteen grows in four
areas of India, as all of them are tropical, have high humidity and decent
rainfall: Nilgiri hills, the southern districts of Tinnevelly and Kanya-Kumani
in Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, the trees grow from 250ft to 5,000ft
elevation. Trees fruit prolifically, especially those aged 20 years plus;
however, the fruits must be picked from the tree.

Mangosteen season occurs
twice a year: April to June, and
during the monsoon season from July
to October.

Where to find Mangosteen in India

Small pushcart vendors do
not sell mangosteen, probably because they’re too pricey for the budget of most
Indians. When in season, mangosteens sell at some local produce shops and most
expat stores.

Though mangosteens are
available in India, they’re one of the most expensive fruits on the market. Few
Indians can afford mangosteens any more than they can afford imported grapes.
And yet, one can find the purple gems beckoning customers from their bins.
They’ll usually sit next to the figs or apples, likely because the mangosteens
make these somewhat pricey fruits look suddenly affordable. To foreigners
accustomed to seeing a kilo of fruit cost as much as a meal at a decent
restaurant, the cost of mangosteen in India may not be a sticker shock. Indeed,
mangosteens sell for less than half of the cheapest price one could find in the
US or Europe. For others, however, the fruit is an extravagant indulgence.

Checking for Ripeness in Mangosteen

Mangosteen
is ripe only when its woody, leathery purple rind yields to the touch. The
exterior will still be hard, but should give if squeezed tightly. Mangosteen’s exterior
should be deep purple, a far deviation from its unripe, white appearance on the
tree. Do not be alarmed by waxy yellow substance appearing near its green cap:
though this is an indicator that the mangosteen is becoming overripe, the fruit
is still sweet and edible. When ripe, the pulp gives off a citrusy sweet aroma.

Avoid
fruits with an aged, brown, dry exterior. If the fruit is light and rock solid,
it’s likely spoiled.

Taste of Mangosteen

Mangosteen is loved by
most who try the juicy, delicately sugared fruit. R.W. Apple writes in a 2003
New York Times article, “I could tell you the flavor reminds me of litchis,
peaches and clementine mingled in a single succulent mouthful, but words can no
more describe how mangosteens taste than explain why I love my wife and
children.”

As Apple explains,
mangosteen’s taste is not easy to describe. It replicates mango and passion
fruit’s mellowness, sweetness, and tropical earthiness. The soft pulp
surrounding the seed is the most subdued, whereas the pulp surrounding the
gelatinous seed bears some tanginess.

Mangosteen has no hint of
sourness or acidity, and is therefore not a “bright” fruit like an orange. Its
uniform sweetness and lack of astringency means it is not moody fruit like
jamun, and it is not fickle with an ever-changing flavor like longan. Its taste
is not hit-or-miss, and you won’t read of long debates about the fruit’s merits
as one does with, say, durian.

Mangosteen is an
eager-to-please fruit, and excels in its likeability. As such, it’s universally
praised with compliments like “the queen of fruits,” and that eating one is a
“transcendental experience.” Though mangosteen is indeed worthy of these
compliments, it’s also best to remember that the fruit’s juice sells for up to
$50 a bottle in Western countries. Some would point to a distortion in the
price versus its value.

Avoid splurging on
mangosteens bought outside of Asia. Many who have purchased fruits in Europe
and the US have been disappointed, and claim that the fresher, locally grown
fruits in Asia have superior flavor.

Nutritional Value of Mangosteen

According to the USDA
nutrient database, 100g of mangosteen contains the following values:

--In China, the powdered
dried rind is used to combat dysentery,
eczema and other skin disorders.
It’s also administered for the treatment of diarrhea, cystitis, gonorrhea, gleet, and used as a lotion.

--Filipinos use the
leaves and bark to treat thrush,
diarrhea, dysentery, and urinary problems.

--Malaysians use leaves
and unripe bananas to heal circumcision wounds, and the roots to regulate
menstruation.

Several astounding
pharmaceutical applications of mangosteen have been discovered as well.

--A study by scientists
in Japan published in BMC Medicine
reports that mangosteen pericarps reduce tumor
growth and cell metastasis. In
rats, the tumor volume and lymph node metastasis were
significantly reduced in the control group that consumed mangosteen.

--As per a 2011 study
conducted and published in Phytochemistry,
mangosteen’s essential xanthones exhibit antihyperglycemic activity, and may be of use to diabetic patients.

--A
study published in 2012 by BMC Complementary
and Alternative Medicine reports that the xanthones in mangosteen inhibited
the growth of colorectal carcinoma
cells, thereby displaying anti-colon
cancer activity. The scientists also reference xanthone’s other
pharmacological uses including as antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial
agents.

-- According to a study
published in Natural Product Communications,
six of the xanthones in mangosteen may be beneficial in treating liver fibrosis

--A study published in
the Food and Chemical Toxicology indicates
that xanthones may be a powerful candidate for combatting melanoma, or, skin cancer.

--A 2011 study published
in Neuroscience shows that mangosteen
combats the neurotoxicity of the
chemo drug, Doxorubicin. Thus, xanthones in mangosteen might be a potent chemopreventive.

--According to research
conducted in Thailand and published in Molecules,
xanthones inhibited the proliferation of cancerous brain tumor cells.

--A study in China
published by Pharmacology, Biochemistry
and Behavior states that mangosteen’s xanthones are potent analgesics.

Note: Mangosteen’s
xanthones concentrate in the rind; not the pulp. To capitalize on the fruit’s
medicinal benefits, make a tea from the rind. Or, dehydrate the rind, dry the
powder, and ingest in smoothies, teas, or in capsule form.

How to Open/Cut:

Opening mangosteen is an
art: Squeeze using the thumb on one side, and the index and middle finger on
the other. The fruit’s thick rind should crack slightly, allowing the rest of
the rind to be pried open with ease. Also, take caution when opening the fruit,
as it’s possible to stain the fingers with its dark, nutrient-rich juice.

Though one can open a
mangosteen with a knife, it’s best to use the fingers: If it’s too difficult to
open with the hands, there’s a good chance the mangosteen is unripe, or it has
spoiled.

Here’s a video
illustrating a mangosteen being opened. It’s a pretty informative clip as well:

Storage:

Mangosteens do not ripen
from the tree. They are quite perishable, but refrigeration will extend their
shelf life. Indian scientists discovered that at a temperature of 40 F in 80 to
90 percent humidity, the fruits keep for almost 50 days.

Note: Cold mangosteens
are more difficult to open than ones that have been sitting at room
temperature. Leave the fruits to sit for an hour if the rind is unyielding.

Mangosteen Recipe Ideas and Uses:

--Mix mangosteen with
coconut milk, sugar and lime. Put through an ice cream maker for a smooth treat.

--Make a vodka-based mangosteen martini by placing a
mangosteen fruit in each glass. Flavor complements include coconut water or
pomegranate juice.

--Because the nutrients
are concentrated in the mangosteen’s rich purple rind, dry or dehydrate the
skin, powder it, and ingest in pill form or add to smoothies.

--Or, treat the skin with
6 percent sodium chloride and use the pectin-rich rind in jams and preserves. Though
some make jam from the arils, mangosteen is heat-sensitive and loses much of
its delicate flavor when cooked.

--Church members in the
Philippines took dried mangosteen rind, pounded them into a dried pulp, and
sold them as nutritional capsules.

Note: Mangosteens are one
of the few fruits that should not be used in recipes. Given the fruit’s high
price and mellow flavor, it should not be mixed with other ingredients. Only a
use recipe that highlights and showcases the mangosteen—its taste is easily
buried if used with other showier fruits.

Good site with lot of info. I love Mangosteen frm young age which is available rarely in my place Thrissur,kerala, south India.So 7 years back decided to make a Mangosteen fram and planted more than 1000 plants. Last year few plants bare Mangosteen fruits. This year more than 300 plants having fruits. Expected to sell by the end of May 2014.Plan to package in colorful carton box. 12 pcs in one box.Christo.george@gmail.com

Hello Everybody, This is Adam with Pure Fruit Technologies. Inc. I was doing some research about Mangosteen Juice Market in India and found this article, quite interesting eh!

Pure Fruit Technologies has been operational since 2003 when we introduced Mangoxan™ (the 1st Superfruit Juice supplement) into the retail space. Since that time we have seen a number of other companies come and go, but due to our preliminary efforts in Research and Development and market analysis we continue to supply a preservative free product to individuals looking to becoming a Healthier You.

The Xanthones from the mangosteen fruit and our ability to assure all 32 discovered in the Mangosteen Fruit are present has given consumers the ability to ‘feel the XAN’. These silent partners, Xanthones, provide our anatomy with numerous health benefits which have been both proven and shown in consumer testimonials.

After Successful operations in North America, Singapore, Taiwan and China for over 13 years we are now looking for independent distributors in all part of the world.